The True Gatekeepers Of Ivy League Admissions

In the world of elite educational consulting, the most sought-after IECs are as selective as Ivy League institutions.

Photo Credit: Dimension Admissions

Last year, acceptance rates at our nation’s most selective schools plummeted to historic lows. The most competitive—CIT and Harvard—admitted just above 3% of their applicants. For families of aspiring undergraduates, this hard truth has created a “vortex of anxiety and stress,” per Daniel Currell, a former senior adviser in the Department of Education. Desperate for answers, many families are turning to independent educational consultants (IECs) for help. However, many IEC rosters are limited, and the number of applicants is increasing year over year.

According to the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), whose members undergo an extensive vetting process, an estimated 10,000 full-time IECs are currently working nationwide. Some, like Christopher Hathaway, Founder of Dimension Admissions, an elite, Newport Beach-based consulting firm that specializes in application strategy and essay writing, are as selective as our nation’s most desirable schools.

“The consulting landscape is similar to that of higher education itself,” says Hathaway. “Certain practitioners offer a superior product. Accordingly, those who aspire to the Ivy League and its equivalents must engage consultants familiar with that space and its admissions practices.”

Unsurprisingly, this industry knowledge is best reflected in past results. Since Dimension’s inception in 2019, 96% of its clients have been admitted to at least one Top 20 school per US News rankings, and applicants to Top 10 schools have outperformed the median acceptance rate at those schools by a factor of eleven.

Needless to say, premium consultants—like premium schools—aren’t cheap. When I ask about the value proposition of hiring Dimension Admissions at $650/hr., a steal relative to other firms charging upwards of $1500 per hour, Hathaway admits it’s all about results. “I wouldn’t have a job if I didn’t perform for families.”

However, the return on investment he guarantees does not come in the form of an acceptance letter. Rather, he claims Dimension’s core mission is about personal growth and development. “Students who engage in our process with depth and sincerity emerge more self-aware and self-confident, not to mention much better writers. Acceptances are a byproduct of this work.”

So, how do families earn a spot on Dimension’s roster? In much the same way as they earn admission to their dream school—by demonstrating potential.

“We’re not strictly looking at the numbers,” Hathaway says. “Test scores and grades are important insofar as building out a balanced school list is concerned, but we’re primarily interested in students who are quirky and genuine, embrace a growth mentality, aren’t afraid of hard work, and have faith in our process.”

With educational consulting firms like Dimension Admissions offering their clients an eleven times greater chance of acceptance at their dream school, they may in fact be the true gatekeepers of Ivy League admissions.

To learn more about Dimension Admissions and their services, visit their website here.

Written in partnership with Dimension Admissions